Rotary cabinet assembly

ABSTRACT

A rotary shelf unit is adapted for installation opposite an opening at the corner junction of intersecting cabinets. Upper and lower bearing brackets position a rotor having one or more shelves, and also having intersecting panels forming a closure to the cabinet opening in one angular position of the rotor. The closure panels have sufficient freedom of vertical movement within the opening to accommodate the axial travel of a follower engaging a cam on the lower bearing bracket, which utilizes the weight of the rotor to hold the angular position corresponding to closure of the cabinet opening. The bearing brackets having locating means engageable with components of the cabinet structure, and the rotor is provided with journal brackets having locating means for accurate placement with respect to the closure panels.

United States Patent .Vander Ley [451 Feb. 25, 1975 ROTARY CABINETASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: Robert J. Vander Ley, Jenison,

Mich.

[73] Assignee: Lescoa, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich.

[22] Filed: Apr. 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2 355,964

[52] US. Cl 312/238, 21 l/144, 16/153 [51] Int. Cl A47b 49/00 [58] Field01 Search 312/238, 211/144; 16/153 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,908,797 5/1933 Svalland 211/144 X 2,570,747 10/1951 Bailey312/238 X 2,676,082 4/1954 Merydith 312/238 2,777,585 1/1957Jorgensen..... 21l/144X 3,019,912 2/1962 Hoffman....... 211/1443,160,453 12/1964 Tassell 312/238 3,260,560 7/1966 Hofstetter 312/2383,281,197 10/1966 Anderson 312/238 X 3,722,031 3/1973 Bourgeois 16/153Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Peter A.Aschenbrenner Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Glenn B. Morse [57] ABSTRACT Arotary shelf unit is adapted for installation opposite an opening at thecorner junction of intersecting cabinets. Upper and lower bearingbrackets position a rotor having one or more shelves, and also havingintersecting panels forming a closure to the cabinet opening in oneangular position of the rotor. The closure panels have sufficientfreedom of vertical movement within the opening to accommodate the axialtravel of a follower engaging a cam on the lower bearing bracket, whichutilizes the weight of the rotor to hold the angular positioncorresponding to closure of the cabinet opening. The bearing bracketshaving 10- cating means engageable with components of the cabinetstructure, and the rotor is provided with journal brackets havinglocating means for accurate placement with respect to the closurepanels.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures ROTARY CABINET ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Cabinets extending along intersecting walls inevitably producea corner space that is very difficult to utilize with fixed structure.Kitchen cabinets provide a common illustration of this problem,particularly when it is desirable to maintain the continuity ofcounter-top surfaces in the junction area. It is common practice toutilize this corner space by installing a rotary cabinet unit oppositean opening disposed in the intersecting planes defined by the outersurfaces of the cabinets at the vertical line of intersection. Theopening thus extends from this line laterally for an equal distancealong each of the frontal cabinet surfaces.

The rotary units are commonly installed opposite these openings forrotation on a vertical axis, and are usually provided with some sort ofcam and follower means to establish a tendency for the rotor to alignitself so that the closure panels are correctly placed in the cabinetopening. These cam arrangements have been designed either to utilize theeffect of the weight of the rotor as a force urging a follower against acam having contour in the axial direction, or a spring-loaded detent isused in bearing engagement against a cam oriented in any convenientdirection.

Installations of this type are in such wide use that current developmentcenters in the saving of cost in manufacture and installation. Thecomponents of the assembly must not only be installed easily in thecabinet structure, but must provide proper relative alignment withoutcareful attention on the part of the installing workman. Since theclosure panels of the rotary assembly are normally made by themanufacturer of the cabinet structure, with the hardware being suppliedfrom a different source. the alignment problem is more severe than wouldbe the case if the entire unit were produced under the control of asingle manufacturer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A rotary cabinet assembly is designed as a setof hardware components adapted for installation on cabinet structurewhich includes intersecting panels adapted for placement in an openingin the junction of the front cabinet surfaces. The closure panels notonly function as a rotary door, but also as a beam having an angularcross section (on a horizontal plane) providing the structural strengthof the rotor assembly. Upper and lower journal brackets are secured tothis beam, and bearing brackets are installed in the upper and lowercomponents of the cabinet structure. Both the journal and the bearingbrackets are provided with means interfitting with the associatedcabinet components for proper relative location of the vertical axis ofrotation of the rotor. Interengaging cam and follower means are providedon lower journal and bearing brackets inducing a small vertical motionof the rotor as it revolves around its axis. The weight of the rotor isthus utilized as a means of placing the rotor with the closure panelsproperly located with respect to the cabinet opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thejunctionat the corner of intersecting cabinet installations, with the closurepanels of the rotor unit occupying the opening in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotor assembly as it occupies theopening in the position shown in FIG. 1 showing the immediatelysurrounding flxed'cabinet structure.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view on an enlarged scale showing the lowerjournal and bearing assemblies, and the associated cam and followermeans.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale over FIG. 1 and 2, andillustrating the upper journal and bearing components.

FIG. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of the retractable upper journalunit.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the components of the upper journal andbearing sections.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the components of the lower journaland bearing sections, together with the lower shelf structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, thecabinet sections 10 and 11 extend along intersecting walls, producing aline of junction indicated at 12 of the outer cabinet surfaces 13 and14. An opening in this junction area has portions indicated at 15 and 16disposed in planes intersecting at an angle close to 90 degrees. Therotary shelf unit has intersecting panels 17 and 18 adapted to enter thejunction opening. These closure panels are secured together at theirjunction to form a solid structural beam. The fixed cabinet structureincludes a top 19 and a bottom 20 which the rotor assembly is positionedand supported.

The upper bearing bracket 21 has a base 22 normally secured to thecorner block 23 of the fixed cabinet structure by screws as indicated at24 and 25. The cone-shaped portion 26 of the bracket 21 is drawn frommaterial integral, and originally coplanar, with the base 21. Aninwardly-turned sleeve 27 forms the actual bearing. The base 22 has aV-shaped extension 28 adapted for interengagement with the junction ofthe frontal components 29 and 30 of the fixed cabinet structure foraccurate location of the axis of the bearing 27 with respect to thejunction opening.

The upperjournal bracket 31 is provided with the opposite tabs 32 and 33disposed in perpendicular relationship, with these tabs being receivedsolidly against the closure panels 17 and 18, respectively, and securedby screws as shown at 35. The opposite extremity of the bracket 31 hasupper and lower plates 35 and 36 provided with openings for slidablyreceiving the journal pin 37. This pin has a flange 38 limiting theupward movement of the pin 37 under the action of the compression spring39. A knurled portion 40 on the pin 37 provides a handle that can begrasped to pull the journal pin 37 downward to disengage the journal 41from the bearing 27. The installation of the journal 41 into the bearing27 can be accomplished by using the conical surface 26 as a cam withrespect to lateral forces generated by pushing the rotor assemblyagainst the surface 26. This interaction will establish a tendency toretract the pin 37 to permit the entrance of the journal 41 into thebearing 27.

At the lower extremity of the assembly, the bearing bracket generallyindicated at 42 has a base 43 provided with a V-shaped extension 44 forinterengagement with the junction of the lower frontal components 45 and46 of the fixed cabinet structure. The bases 22 and 43 are provided withholes 22a and 43a to receive screws securing these units to the cabinetstructure. A bearing section 47 is secured to the base 43, and has anaxially facing cam surface 48 engaged by the follower 49 secured to therotor assembly to establish a ten dency for the rotor to assume a closedposition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The unit 50 also functions as ajournal bracket providing the journal extension 51 normally received inthe bearing opening 52. A central cylindrical portion 53 on the bracketunit 50 is received within the opening 54in the dish-shaped plate 55 ofthe lower rotor tray. This tray is completed by the presence of the flatplate 56, with the vertical extent of the cylindrical portion 53 beingsufficient to extend across the distance between the plates 55 and 56 atthe center of the assembly. The plate 55 is essentially conical inconfiguration, with a rim portion 57 bearing directly on the undersideof the plate 56, and preferably spot-welded to it to form a rigidstructure. The top surface of the cylindrical portion 53 extends only tothe underside of the panel 56, with the central threaded hole 58 beingopposite the elongated hole 59 in the plate 56. A screw 60 traverses thehole 59, and engages the threaded hole 58 to lock the unit 50 rotativelyand within the range of lateral adjustment provided by the elongatedhole 59. The opening 54 is sufficiently larger than the cylindricalportion 53 to accomodate this range of lateral adjustability. In theinstalled position, the shoulder 61 of the bracket unit 50 will bearagainst the underside of the conical plate 55.

The location of the journal bracket 50 with respect to the closurepanels 17 and 18 is provided by the flanges 62-63 on the plate 55 and64-65 on the plate 56. The flanges 64-65 bear against the outer surfacesof the flanges 62 and 63, with the inner surfaces of the flanges 62 and63 bearing against the panels 17 and 18 to establish the locatingfunction. The holes 66 and 67 of the flange 63 are in alignment with theholes 68 and 69 of the flange 65, and the holes 70 and 71 of the flange62 are in alignment with the holes 72 and 73 of the flange 64. Screws asshown at 74 are installed through these aligned openings to secure therelative position of the components with respect to the panels 17 and18. These screws also establish a solid transfer of stresses between theassembled panels 55-56 and the closure panels 17 and 18. Additional traycomponents of standard configuration as shown at 75 may be installedalong the vertical extent of the panels 17 and 18 as desired.

The installation of the rotor assembly into the fixed structure of thecabinet is accomplished preferably by the retracting the pin 37 afterthe lower journal 51 has been engaged with the bearing opening 52. Whenthe assembly has been thus completed, the lateral placement of the lowerportion of the assembly, as well as the rotary position of the panels 17and 18 with respect to the cam and follower system are secured bytightening the screw 60 against the lock washer 76, with attention beinggiven to the proper lateral placement of the assembly within thejunction opening in the cabinet. In the design of the panels 17 and 18,it must be noted that sufficient clearance should be established withinthe corner opening of the fixed cabinet structure to accommodate thevertical travel of the cam follower 49 with respect to the cam surface48. With the usual weight to be expected, this travel will not normallyneed to be much in excess of an eighth of an inch.

I claim:

1. A rotary shelf and closure panel assembly for use in a cornerstructure having top and bottom panels and means defining two verticalfaces of said structure extending between said upper and lower panelsand at right angles to one another, each of said faces having an openingextending from the line of intersection of said faces and said meansincluding upper and lower frontal components extending, respectively,across the upper and lower edges of said openings and projecting,respectively, below said top panel and above said bottom panel,comprising:

a pair of closure panels secured to each other along one edge andextending at right angles to one another, said panels substantiallyfilling said openings;

a journal bracket secured to said closure panels adjacent the upperedges thereof and projecting therefrom along the bisector of the angleformed by said closure panels;

a first pin slidably carried by said journal bracket and projectingupwardly therefrom;

spring means biasing said first pin upwardly;

an upper bearing bracket having a base portion adapted for flushengagement with the underside of said top panel, one edge of said baseportion being provided with a V-notch for engagement with said upperfrontal components whereby said upper bearing bracket is preciselylocated relative to said openings, said upper bearing bracket alsohaving a downwardly projecting truncated concial portion the lower endof which has a hole for receiving the upper end of said first pin andproviding a bearing therefor;

a shelf assembly secured to said closure panels adjacent the lower edgesthereof, said shelf assembly including upper and lower plates secured toone another at the edges thereof and spaced from one another at theircenter portions, the center portion of the lower one of said plateshaving an opening therein in vertical alignment with the axis of saidfisrt pin, said lower plate having a pair of upturned flanges bearingagainst said closure panels, said upper plate having a pair of upturnedflanges overlying said flanges of said lower plate, said shelf as semblyincluding fastener means securing said flanges to one another and tosaid closure panels;

a lower bearing bracket having a base portion adapted for flushengagement with the upper surface of said lower panel of said cabinetstructure, one edge of said base portion being provided with a V-notchfor engagement with said lower frontal components whereby said lowerbearing bracket is precisely located relative to said opening, saidlower bearing bracket also including a bearing block projecting upwardlyfrom said base portion and having a vertically extending hole alignedwith the vertical axis of said first pin when said bearing brackets arein their mounted positions and a camming surface on the upper endthereof;

a second pin having a lower portion of a first diameter adapted forsliding and rotating engagement with said hole in said bearing block, anintermediate portion of enlarged diameter, the lower surface of whichincludes a camming portion cooperating with camming surface of saidbearing block and an upper surface engaging the underside of the centerportion of said lower plate of said shelf assembly, upper plate of saidshelf assembly; and and an upper portion of lesser diameter than that ofsaid intermediate portion, said upper portion extending through saidhole in said lower plate of said shelf assembly and engaging theunderside of said 5 means to secure said second pin in non-rotatingrelation to said shelf assembly.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIN PATENT NO. 3, 868,156 DATED February 25, 1975 INVENTOIQS) 1 Robert J Vcmder Ley It iscertified that error appears in the above--identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 31 ---20 which" should be 20 berween which Claim 1, line42 -Fisrf-- should be --Firsf- Signed and sealed this 1?th day of June1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DAN}? Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks RUTH C. MASONAttesting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPATENT NO. 3,868,156 DATED February 25, 1975 INVENTOWS) Robe H J VonderLey It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below;

Column 2, line 3] --20 which" should be ---20 between which-- Claim l,line 42 --Fi'srt-- should be Flrst- Signed and sealed this 17th day ofJune 1.975,

Attest:

MARSHALL DANE-T Commissioner of Patents and Traemarks RUTH C. EiASOtIAttesting Officer

1. A rotary shelf and closure panel assembly for use in a cornerstructure having top and bottom panels and means defining two verticalfaces of said structure extending between said upper and lower panelsand at right angles to one another, each of said faces having an openingextending from the line of inteRsection of said faces and said meansincluding upper and lower frontal components extending, respectively,across the upper and lower edges of said openings and projecting,respectively, below said top panel and above said bottom panel,comprising: a pair of closure panels secured to each other along oneedge and extending at right angles to one another, said panelssubstantially filling said openings; a journal bracket secured to saidclosure panels adjacent the upper edges thereof and projecting therefromalong the bisector of the angle formed by said closure panels; a firstpin slidably carried by said journal bracket and projecting upwardlytherefrom; spring means biasing said first pin upwardly; an upperbearing bracket having a base portion adapted for flush engagement withthe underside of said top panel, one edge of said base portion beingprovided with a V-notch for engagement with said upper frontalcomponents whereby said upper bearing bracket is precisely locatedrelative to said openings, said upper bearing bracket also having adownwardly projecting truncated concial portion the lower end of whichhas a hole for receiving the upper end of said first pin and providing abearing therefor; a shelf assembly secured to said closure panelsadjacent the lower edges thereof, said shelf assembly including upperand lower plates secured to one another at the edges thereof and spacedfrom one another at their center portions, the center portion of thelower one of said plates having an opening therein in vertical alignmentwith the axis of said fisrt pin, said lower plate having a pair ofupturned flanges bearing against said closure panels, said upper platehaving a pair of upturned flanges overlying said flanges of said lowerplate, said shelf assembly including fastener means securing saidflanges to one another and to said closure panels; a lower bearingbracket having a base portion adapted for flush engagement with theupper surface of said lower panel of said cabinet structure, one edge ofsaid base portion being provided with a V-notch for engagement with saidlower frontal components whereby said lower bearing bracket is preciselylocated relative to said opening, said lower bearing bracket alsoincluding a bearing block projecting upwardly from said base portion andhaving a vertically extending hole aligned with the vertical axis ofsaid first pin when said bearing brackets are in their mounted positionsand a camming surface on the upper end thereof; a second pin having alower portion of a first diameter adapted for sliding and rotatingengagement with said hole in said bearing block, an intermediate portionof enlarged diameter, the lower surface of which includes a cammingportion cooperating with camming surface of said bearing block and anupper surface engaging the underside of the center portion of said lowerplate of said shelf assembly, and an upper portion of lesser diameterthan that of said intermediate portion, said upper portion extendingthrough said hole in said lower plate of said shelf assembly andengaging the underside of said upper plate of said shelf assembly; andmeans to secure said second pin in non-rotating relation to said shelfassembly.